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Biography / Resumé::

Biography
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" SAGE GENTLE-WING has a lot of great songs, has a really great singing voice, and plays great guitar!
" -- JIMMIE VAUGHAN- AUSTIN TX 2000

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area , a former student of the great jazz guitarist ,
TUCK ANDRESS { Tuck and Patti },
SAGE GENTLE-WING is a Singer / Songwriter / Guitarist of impeccable pedigree and authenticity.

Over the years Sage has consistently drawn accolades from music lovers, musicians, and fans the world over. A world traveller, he has performed throughout the mainland U.S. and Hawaii, Vancouver , Canada, Japan , S. Korea, Phillipines Okinawa, and most recently toured for 5 months in New Zealand.

Though best known as a guitarist and Singer / Songwriter he also studied Tablas, { an E.Indian hand drum} with Usted Zakir Hussain and his father Usted Alla Rakha { r.i.p.{ and toured as a tabla player in 1974 with The Dharma Bums.

He also took ten years off from a lifetime career in Rock music, to pursue his muse with Sacred Dance and spiritual growth, which resulted in him becoming the sole protege' to ASOKA AND SUJATA, { world masters of Tibetan and E Indian classical and Sacred Dance }

"This was my " Shamanistic period "- an era of intense spiritual pursuits in which I became almost monk-like in my involvement with Tibetan Buddhism, and Cherokee and Tibetan medicine dances. I got an inside glimpse into a world few even know exist. I'd Like to think I'm a better person for the experience. It definitely affected my music when I finally returned to it full time. There is a beauty and wisdom in those cultures that must never be lost to modernization."

Sage began his career in 1966 as a drummer in a rock band at the age of 15 opening for such icons as JANIS JOPLIN { with BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING CO, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD { with NEIL YOUNG and STEPHAN STILLS}, and MOBY GRAPE, and QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco.

He switched to guitar when he was 16 and has played lead / rythym guitar in over 20 bands , toured internationally recorded with such lumiaries as Hubert Tubbs and Tom Politzer { TOWER OF POWER},Tim Sheridan{ "Two Tickets To Paradise" era EDDIE MONEY} and gigged with a myriad of stellar sidemen including Ed Burke { IKE AND TINA TURNER REVUE} Steve Elliot { RAY CHARLES ] John Ward { CLEO LAINE },HAROLD ATTERBURY { ALBERT KING} CONRAD JOHNSON{ B.B. KING} BOBBY JONES{ BOBBY FREEMAN- " DO THE SWIM"} Duke Dewey { COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH} JERRY LOGAN{ PETER ROWAN AND THE FREE MEXICAN AIRFORCE} CARMEL JONES { HORACE SILVER} , BIG L BARKER { CHARLIE PARKER, } ART JACKSON { COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA} ROBB KIDD { PAPA MALI ] CHRIS DYE { IAN MOORE} and MICHAEL SILVERSHER {w/ over 100 songs published with Walt Disney and founder of NORTHERN CALIF SONGWRITERS ASSOC. { now WESTCOASTSONGS. } to name the tip of the iceberg for this list goes on and on...

In recent times , Sage has opened for RICHIE HAVENS { TUCSON FOLK FESTIVAL} TRISTAN PRETTYMAN { Virgin records}, JASON MRAZ{ platinum selling Electra artist,} KRIS DELMHORST and MARK ERELLI, GILLI MOON { at Cooperstown } VYKTORIA KEATING{ recently back from an international tour with JETHRO TULL } and a slew of local and national artists during his three years in Austin Tx. including TONI PRICE , GUY FORSYTH , CHRIS DUARTE, BARBARA K.,STARGUNN { SHOOTER JENNINGS' Band,, QUIET RIOT}, FISHBONE, W.C. CLARK, PATRICE PIKE, LAURA SCARBOROUGH to name just a few of the HUNDREDS of acts he's shared bills with.

GREG MORTON, of "THE GREG MORTON TRIO ' in Tucson, named Sage his " FAVORITE GUITARIST OF ALL TIME ! " When asked "WHY? Greg said matter of fact," There are plenty of great guitarists, but I love what he does! "

ROBERT METZGAR of the AMA in Nashville, and a veteran producer with over 50,000 cuts to his credit , including the platinum selling Smoky River boys of " Oh , Brother Where Art Thou" fame, proclaimed Sage " A brilliant Genius, who , on a scale of 1-10 writes songs between 10 and 12!

Sage's full bio would take a book { which he is working on } as it spans four decades of prolific writing , gigging and recording, {and a million anecdotes} but quite a lot of info can be gotten on his website at: www. sagegentle-wing.com - { click " The years in between"} on the homepage for band discography.

"I write and play the kind of songs that people rarely get to hear on the radio but in fact are starved for in the clubs. I consider it my mission in life to put a dent in the status quo in my own small way, any way I can. It really makes me happy to see the look of appreciation and RECOGNITION of IDEALS on the faces of audiences worldwide. this let's me know I'm right on track. "

A fan said it best though: When Sage walks into a room, without even knowing what he does, you just KNOW this guy is totally GENUINE and carries a PRESENCE of AUTHORITY. Then when you see him play it becomes a REVELATION, because the guy really delivers in a way that comes from a world of experience and is REALLY REALLY GOOD at what he does. Can't fake that. He's the real deal." 'Nuff said.

Sage continues into his 4th decade as a working musician and is hard at work on a whole array of recording projects that have been offered recently by local producers who are quick to seize upon his talent and fresh and honest songwriting.

" What I am really about now is trying to create a musical legacy that hopefully will stand the test of time long after I'm gone. After all , the listening experience should ultimately be able to bring us again and again to a place of total enjoyment and fufillment in the moment, every time we revist that recording. You can't separate the song from the recording of it, for the recording can make or break the purity of the experience. They go hand in hand. Sometimes , though , a simple " field recording " of a blues holler will take me to a place that no million dollar studio wizardry can, so it's really a process of choosing what direction to take with each song".

Hope to see ya down the road apiece- SGW

 

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